In That Second
by NarglesandNifflers
Summary: "In that second, Luna knew her life had changed forever." A magical experiment goes badly wrong. One-shot.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.**

**A/N: This is basically a short one shot about Luna and her mother's death. Hope it's okay!**

Elena Lovegood sat stirring her tea around dreamily with a spoon, staring vaguely at the wall opposite as she went through the spell again in her mind. It was almost ready, she decided. Maybe she could test it out this morning? It wasn't as though it would take very long, so she should have enough time…

"Hello, Mummy," came a dreamy voice behind her.

Elena turned, her face breaking into a wide smile. "Good morning dear. How are you this morning? Were the Duskdozes troubling you again last night? "

"Oh, no, it was fine," said Luna happily. "I think they've gone away now. Daddy's idea worked!"

Elena laughed. "He'll be delighted. That's brilliant," she told her daughter sincerely.

"What are we going to do today?" Luna asked her, sitting down at the table with a bowl of cereal and beaming at Elena.

"I was thinking that I would try out my new spell today," Elena told her.

Luna's already large eyes widened in surprise. "Can I watch Mummy?" she asked, her voice shaking with suppressed excitement.

Elena nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth at her daughter's enthusiasm. "I think you're old enough to watch now," she told Luna kindly.

Luna dropped her spoon – it hit the bowl with a loud clang. _"Really?" _

"Yes, really," Elena smiled, getting up from the table and heading off in the direction of the garden. "I'll need to get things ready, but I'll call you when I'm ready."

Luna nodded eagerly, watching as her mother made her way outside, heading over to the small, derelict shed at the bottom of their garden. Elena had always practised her spells and potions in this shed, ever since Luna was born. Luna pushed her half-finished cereal away from her, too excited to eat any more.

Ever since she was young, she had wanted to watch her mother at work, creating her strange new potions and trying out her unique spells. Luna had asked many times if she could watch her mother doing this, but had always been given the same answer; _"wait until you're older."_ According to her parents, the spells always had the chance to go wrong, and some could be dangerous, both to do and to watch. She pushed herself to her feet and drifted up stairs to get washed and dressed, not that she felt there was anything wrong in going outside in her pyjamas. However, the neighbours tended to snigger and stare for some reason, and her mother had eventually told her, and her father, that they were laughing because they were wearing pyjamas outside. Luna had shaken her head in bewilderment and pity at the time – some people were very strange.

As soon as she was ready, she headed back to the kitchen, where she met her father, sitting staring vacantly out of the window. "Daddy!" she called to alert him of her presence.

"Good morning Luna," he said vaguely, turning to smile at his daughter. "Did you sleep upside down last night like I told you?"

"Yes, and I wore the strawberry necklace too!" said Luna brightly. "It worked Daddy! The Duskdozes didn't come!"

"Brilliant!" said Xeno, looking delighted.

The back door opened and Elena entered, with an air of nervous anticipation about her. "Well, everything is ready," she said, addressing both her husband and daughter.

Xeno brow creased. "Oh, is Luna…?"

"I said she could watch this time, as she is probably old enough," said Elena, biting her lip. "You do agree, don't you Xeno?"

"Why not?" said Xeno good naturedly.

Luna ran outside, excitement bubbling in the pit of her stomach. Elena and Xeno hurried after her, Elena reaching the shed first. "Don't go in yet Luna," she warned. "There are some very sensitive things in there, things that will explode or burst into flames if you so much as brush past it with your sleeve." She opened the door and disappeared inside, closing the door carefully behind her.

Luna waited outside, hopping from foot to foot, almost shivering with anticipation. Xeno watched her with an expression of vague amusement and affection on his face.

The door creaked open. "Come in," called Elena. "Slowly, Luna."

Luna entered the shed, looking around her in interest. There was a large black cauldron bubbling on a shelf that her mother had clearly conjured out of thin air, as well as several other ingredients lying dotted around the cramped shed, on benches Luna guessed her mother had created as well.

"What are you trying to do, Mummy?" she asked brightly.

"I'm trying to make a pair of earrings," Elena told her, barely audible over the bubbling of the potion in the cauldron. "They're rather unusual. Fiddly to make."

"What do they look like?" Luna asked curiously.

"Dirigible plum-shaped," answered Elena. "Now stand back a bit you two, I'm about to begin."

Luna took a few steps backwards, keeping her eyes on the cauldron as though she expected something to jump out of it any second. Elena moved over to the cauldron, picking up a handful of ingredients in one hand and holding her wand in the other.

She sliced her wand through the air and what looked like a large, green plant floated towards the cauldron, landing inside it with a faint splash. Luna watched eagerly as her mother pointed her wand at something bright orange in her hand and muttered a spell under her breath, causing it to glow green, then bright pink. Elena waited until it had turned faintly blue before dropping it into the cauldron. The potion hissed and a few orange sparks hissed and spat out of the cauldron.

Elena paused, watching the potion intently for a few seconds, before turning her attention back to the ingredients, apparently satisfied. She cut a few green vegetables in half with her wand, dropping them one by one into the cauldron. This time, a large amount of green sparks flew out of the cauldron, reminding Luna of fireworks.

Elena murmured a spell, pointing her wand at the potion inside the cauldron. A large explosion of different coloured sparks came flying out of it, whizzing around the room. Luna watched them dreamily, thinking it looked rather interesting, all the different colours whooshing and zipping around the room. Elena seemed perfectly calm, glancing over at Luna to check she was all right. Luna answered her concerned gaze with her usual bright, slightly dreamy, smile.

Elena turned her attention back to the potion, whispering another spell as she threw the remaining ingredients into the cauldron.

For a few seconds, there was nothing except for a faint crackling. Just as Elena was leaning forward to check the potion, there was a deafening bang and the cauldron exploded, sparks and flames flying around the shed. Luna jumped backwards in shock, glancing towards her father, uncertain if this was supposed to happen or not.

Xeno's face was white as a ghost's as he grabbed Luna and pushed her out of the shed. "Get out!" he urged, looking around for Elena in despair. _"Get out!"_

Scared, Luna ran for the door, dodging past the flames looming down on her from the ceiling. Heart thumping madly, she reached the door and glanced behind her, scanning the room frantically for her mother, tears blurring her vision.

"_Mummy!" _she screamed, her voice shaking. She could see a figure lying on the floor – her father was picking the body up and running for the door.

"_Get out Luna!"_ Luna heard him roar.

She wrenched the door open, running outside into the fresh, cool air and collapsing on the grass. Xeno followed her, his hands trembling as he laid the motionless body of Elena out on the damp grass. Her eyes were open but they didn't seem to be able to see her sobbing daughter. Her body was perfectly still, limp and lifeless.

"Mummy?" stammered Luna. She raised her head to look her father in the eye. One look at his tear-filled eyes and desperately shaking head told her all she needed to know. And, in that second, Luna knew her life had changed forever.

xxooxxooxxooxxoo

A few days later was Luna's tenth birthday.

Xeno handed her a package, with the mumbled words, "it was from your mother. She wrote it before she…" His voice trailed off. Luna blinked back the tears as she opened up the package.

A Butterbeer cork necklace.

She opened the letter with shaking hands.

_Dear Luna,_

_Happy tenth birthday! Enjoy every minute of the day._

_As I keep telling you, remember to stay true to yourself, no matter what. You are a unique person Luna, but as you get older it will get harder to stay yourself. Just remember that you must never change yourself to please other people and, trust me, you will find friends in the end, however hard it seems at the start._

_Lots of love, _

_Mummy._

xxooxxooxxooxxoo

All that was left of the shed when they cleared it out a few weeks later was a pile of charred, blackened rubble. Except for one thing. A pair of earrings, shaped like Dirigible plums.

And from that moment on, Luna would always wear these earrings, as a reminder of her mother, only taking them off when she had to. It was the same with the necklace – the final gift she had ever received from her mother. And, no matter what anyone said, she always remained true to herself.

To herself, and to her mother.

**A/N: Please tell me what you think! :D**


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